Improvement in harvesters



S. HULL:

Harvester Cutte r.

Patented Dec. 2, 1862.

mwumn n m, Waihinglun. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEPHEN HULL, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEXV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ISAAC Y. XVHITE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification iorming part of Letters Patent NO. 37,073, dated December 185?.

To to whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN HULL, of Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cutting Apparatus of Harvesters, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectional perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same in the line 00 00 of Figs. 1 and 4,. Fig. 3 is a similar section in the line 9 1 of Fig. 1, the cutters being re moved. Fig. 4 is an inverted view of the cutting ap )aratus. Fig. 5 is an inverted view of the cutters. Fig. (3 is a front view of the cut ting apparatus.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

In the use of l1arvesting-machines one of the greatest difficulties to contend with is the clogging and ineffectual operation of the cutting apparatus, which combines the fingerbeam, the guard-fingers, the knives, and the knife-rod. The greatest step to remedy this dil'ficulty was made by Obed Hussey when he designed the open guard-finger in combination with the scalloped sickle. His plan prevents clogging above the cutters. Since Husseys invention many plans have been devised to prevent clogging below the cutters.

Now, my invention consists in modifying the Hussey guard-finger in such manner that, while I secure the advantages of the open guard, I also eitectually prevent clogging below the knives. To this end I have made the guard-finger substantially as hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de" scribe the same.

A represents the finger-bar; B, the guard fingers; O, the knife-rod, and D the knives. I

The fingers B are spear-pointed, and are slotted through horizontally. The upper portion of the slotted fingers is partly cut away, and the slot is only covered for about half its length from the point of the finger by a short shield or stop, a. The bottom of the fingers is on a curve from point 0 to heel or shoulder b, and from the base of the shoulder I) to the top of the lower portion, (1, of the slot 0 the finger widens and forms two wings, f f. In rear of these wings, and also of the body of the finger, an angular depression, a, and also a depression, t, on a bevel or slight curve, are formed, as represented, and from the terminus of this depression i aflange, j, is extended on a horizontal or nearly horizontal plane. Thus itwill be seen that the plane of the lower portion of the slot 0 is much higher than the upper plane of the fiangej.

The finger-bar A is made rectangular in form in its transverse section, except at its front lower corner, I, where it is beveled off or made with a slight curve, as represented, and it is also madeplane-that is, without a groove in its top to receive the knife-rodand thus l'rietion is reduced.

To the under side of the fin gerbar the flanges I B are rigidly fastened, as shown at on, and the bevel-depression 17 fits the bevel Z of thcfingerbeam, and thus it has a broad substantial bearing, and therefore the bevelingof the under portion of the wings of the guard-fingers does not weaken the strength, but obviates the necessity of making the guard-fingers as heavy as is usual in cutting apparatus which have not the bevel Z on the finger-beam, but have simply a curve on the wings.

The slant, curve, or under bevel, is very essential, as it prevents the guard-fingers and finger-bar from catching stones and from shoving the dirt, &c., up in front and between the guards, it allowing the finger-beam to float or slip easily over the obstructions. The slant also obviates the necessity of making the guard fingers as long as in ordinary cutting apparatus, and thus the guards will be stronger. The slant also renders practicable the attaching of the guard-fingers to the under side of the finger-beam, and at the same time of having the plane of the lower portion, d, of the slot 0 even with or above the plane of the finger-bar.

The guard-fingers are arranged on the fin ger-bar so that the corners of their wings f f bear against and support one another, while they unitedly stiffen and stay the finger-bar.

The knives D are fastened upon the Upper side of the rectangular or other suitable shaped bar 01.- rod, 0, and the angular depression win the top of the wings f f receives the rod and guides it, while the knives rest upon the planes (1 of the fingers.

\Vhat Ielaim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 Constructing the guard-fingers A with four planes, (1 n or the equivalent thereof, substantially-as and for the purposes set forth. STElHlGl HULL. \Vitnesses:

JOHN W. VINCENT, BYRON L. I'IEATH. 

